BottomLine

Realistic expectations for IU football?  Look to Kentucky.  Located in a small population basketball state without a rich football tradition.  Forced to compete in the SEC against perennial football powers.  Two conference championships in the history of the program.
How well have they done?  Over the last 10 years they are 71-54 but only 34-46 in the SEC.  Most Indiana fans would probably be happy with that.  Unless a miracle happens that would probably be our ceiling. 
At least the east and west divisions in the Big10 will be gone next year.  Hard to recruit kids when you play Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State every year.  Hey, kid! Come to IU to play football and get a sterling education.  After losing to the "Big" three we only have to finish 6-3 in the other 9 games for a chance to play in the Toilet Bowl.
Next year everything improves.  We now get an opportunity to lock horns with USC, UCLA, Washington and Oregon.  But we won't need to play all the Big 3 monsters every year.  We get to mix in several of the Big 4 new monsters.  Lucky us.
 

OK, I’ll play along …
My best friend’s sister’s boyfriend’s brother’s girlfriend heard from this guy who knows this kid who’s going with a girl who saw Gruden on Kirkwood Avenue tonight. I guess it’s pretty serious.

OK — so are we now gonna proceed to go off the rails with Gruden for the next few hours like we did with Billy Donovan and Brad Stevens?

Indiana isn't a destination job.  Where you going to find this "great" coach?  How you going to keep him if he is successful?  Indiana is going to either hire a coach on the way down, or a young coach that has yet to prove his ability in a power 5 conference.  This isn't a new problem.  IU has been trying to successfully turn things around for a hundred years.  What make you thing we are going to get it right this time?
I know that IU can win.  Attended IU from 65 to 69 and made the trip to the Rose Bowl.  Was it sustainable?  No.  And before you knew it John Pont was off to Northwestern and IU was back to being the worst brand in NCAA football.
 

.And now it starts to get serious.  Win the first game and you have a one game advantage over half of the conference.  Obvious?  Sure but the opposite is starting the season trying to climb out of a hole.  Must game?  Yes.  In the Big10, if you want to do anything, you need to hold serve.
Thoughts on Maryland:  This is the return of Geronimo.  Couldn't start for us but can for them.  They are 3-3 but lost those three by a total of 9.  They shoot a 3 41% of the time so we better guard the line.  So what's new.  Their defense is better than their offense.  Finally, they aren't considered a tourney team.
Thoughts on IU:  How healthy are we?  Reneau/Johnson has to be better than Cupps/Walker or Banks.  If we lose two starters for this one and play with a shorter bench, how much will we drop off offensively?
Not going to be easy but we SHOULD win this one.  However I might revisit the prediction based on the injury report.
Hoosiers        70
Maryland        64

.And now it starts to get serious.  Win the first game and you have a one game advantage over half of the conference.  Obvious?  Sure but the opposite is starting the season trying to climb out of a hole.  Must game?  Yes.  In the Big10, if you want to do anything, you need to hold serve.
Thoughts on Maryland:  This is the return of Geronimo.  Couldn't start for us but can for them.  They are 3-3 but lost those three by a total of 9.  They shoot a 3 41% of the time so we better guard the line.  So what's new.  Their defense is better than their offense.  Finally, they aren't considered a tourney team.
Thoughts on IU:  How healthy are we?  Reneau/Johnson has to be better than Cupps/Walker or Banks.  If we lose two starters for this one and play with a shorter bench, how much will we drop off offensively?
Not going to be easy but we SHOULD win this one.  However I might revisit the prediction based on the injury report.
Hoosiers        70
Maryland        64

.And now it starts to get serious.  Win the first game and you have a one game advantage over half of the conference.  Obvious?  Sure but the opposite is starting the season trying to climb out of a hole.  Must game?  Yes.  In the Big10, if you want to do anything, you need to hold serve.
Thoughts on Maryland:  This is the return of Geronimo.  Couldn't start for us but can for them.  They are 3-3 but lost those three by a total of 9.  They shoot a 3 41% of the time so we better guard the line.  So what's new.  Their defense is better than their offense.  Finally, they aren't considered a tourney team.
Thoughts on IU:  How healthy are we?  Reneau/Johnson has to be better than Cupps/Walker or Banks.  If we lose two starters for this one and play with a shorter bench, how much will we drop off offensively?
Not going to be easy but we SHOULD win this one.  However I might revisit the prediction based on the injury report.
Hoosiers        70
Maryland        64

It isn't about the coach guys.  Hate to be a Debbie Downer but:
1.  Indiana is bad because Indiana has always been bad.  We will never be good until we break that mental loop.  Many have tried and all have failed, or moved on to better jobs.
2.  Indiana will never be good when we celebrate signing players that would be 2nd, 3rd or 4th string players at Ohio State or Michigan.  And, if they improve the portal is always there for them to escape.
3.  We all need to realize that, unlike basketball, football is a "numbers" sport.  IU has always been a terrible second half football school because we have never been able to develop depth.  Out starters may be competitive but the backup aren't there and other teams wear us down.
I don't have the answer to any of these problems and I don't think that we are going to be able to bring in any coach that can answer them.  If that coach exists he is already the head of a winning program elsewhere.

It isn't about the coach guys.  Hate to be a Debbie Downer but:
1.  Indiana is bad because Indiana has always been bad.  We will never be good until we break that mental loop.  Many have tried and all have failed, or moved on to better jobs.
2.  Indiana will never be good when we celebrate signing players that would be 2nd, 3rd or 4th string players at Ohio State or Michigan.  And, if they improve the portal is always there for them to escape.
3.  We all need to realize that, unlike basketball, football is a "numbers" sport.  IU has always been a terrible second half football school because we have never been able to develop depth.  Out starters may be competitive but the backup aren't there and other teams wear us down.
I don't have the answer to any of these problems and I don't think that we are going to be able to bring in any coach that can answer them.  If that coach exists he is already the head of a winning program elsewhere.

It isn't about the coach guys.  Hate to be a Debbie Downer but:
1.  Indiana is bad because Indiana has always been bad.  We will never be good until we break that mental loop.  Many have tried and all have failed, or moved on to better jobs.
2.  Indiana will never be good when we celebrate signing players that would be 2nd, 3rd or 4th string players at Ohio State or Michigan.  And, if they improve the portal is always there for them to escape.
3.  We all need to realize that, unlike basketball, football is a "numbers" sport.  IU has always been a terrible second half football school because we have never been able to develop depth.  Out starters may be competitive but the backup aren't there and other teams wear us down.
I don't have the answer to any of these problems and I don't think that we are going to be able to bring in any coach that can answer them.  If that coach exists he is already the head of a winning program elsewhere.

Congrats to rcs29 on a well played season, much better than the Hoosiers.  After finishing 2nd in the 22-23 Basketball Prediction League to a sharpie, you have shown not only skill but staying power.  Also congrats to Class of '66 Old Fart,  After leading into the final game you showed yourself a true Hoosier through and through by blowing the goal line stand as time expired.  Also a nod to cthomas for picking up 3rd in your first year.
A huge hug and warm fuzzies to LIHoosier for running the show this year.  Thank you so much for giving this meaningless season some purpose.  Taking on the responsibility for running a league like this is so often a thankless job.  You deserve all of our gratitude.  THANK YOU!
Finally, this was my first year trying to pick football games, not normally my cup of tea, and I'm proud of my 4th place finish.  Time to go back for some serious reflection on what went wrong and to start preparation for next year.
Go Hoosiers, and BTW, let's all root for IU MBB to beat Harvard this afternoon.
 

Congrats to rcs29 on a well played season, much better than the Hoosiers.  After finishing 2nd in the 22-23 Basketball Prediction League to a sharpie, you have shown not only skill but staying power.  Also congrats to Class of '66 Old Fart,  After leading into the final game you showed yourself a true Hoosier through and through by blowing the goal line stand as time expired.  Also a nod to cthomas for picking up 3rd in your first year.
A huge hug and warm fuzzies to LIHoosier for running the show this year.  Thank you so much for giving this meaningless season some purpose.  Taking on the responsibility for running a league like this is so often a thankless job.  You deserve all of our gratitude.  THANK YOU!
Finally, this was my first year trying to pick football games, not normally my cup of tea, and I'm proud of my 4th place finish.  Time to go back for some serious reflection on what went wrong and to start preparation for next year.
Go Hoosiers, and BTW, let's all root for IU MBB to beat Harvard this afternoon.
 

Congrats to rcs29 on a well played season, much better than the Hoosiers.  After finishing 2nd in the 22-23 Basketball Prediction League to a sharpie, you have shown not only skill but staying power.  Also congrats to Class of '66 Old Fart,  After leading into the final game you showed yourself a true Hoosier through and through by blowing the goal line stand as time expired.  Also a nod to cthomas for picking up 3rd in your first year.
A huge hug and warm fuzzies to LIHoosier for running the show this year.  Thank you so much for giving this meaningless season some purpose.  Taking on the responsibility for running a league like this is so often a thankless job.  You deserve all of our gratitude.  THANK YOU!
Finally, this was my first year trying to pick football games, not normally my cup of tea, and I'm proud of my 4th place finish.  Time to go back for some serious reflection on what went wrong and to start preparation for next year.
Go Hoosiers, and BTW, let's all root for IU MBB to beat Harvard this afternoon.
 

Congrats to rcs29 on a well played season, much better than the Hoosiers.  After finishing 2nd in the 22-23 Basketball Prediction League to a sharpie, you have shown not only skill but staying power.  Also congrats to Class of '66 Old Fart,  After leading into the final game you showed yourself a true Hoosier through and through by blowing the goal line stand as time expired.  Also a nod to cthomas for picking up 3rd in your first year.
A huge hug and warm fuzzies to LIHoosier for running the show this year.  Thank you so much for giving this meaningless season some purpose.  Taking on the responsibility for running a league like this is so often a thankless job.  You deserve all of our gratitude.  THANK YOU!
Finally, this was my first year trying to pick football games, not normally my cup of tea, and I'm proud of my 4th place finish.  Time to go back for some serious reflection on what went wrong and to start preparation for next year.
Go Hoosiers, and BTW, let's all root for IU MBB to beat Harvard this afternoon.
 

Congrats to rcs29 on a well played season, much better than the Hoosiers.  After finishing 2nd in the 22-23 Basketball Prediction League to a sharpie, you have shown not only skill but staying power.  Also congrats to Class of '66 Old Fart,  After leading into the final game you showed yourself a true Hoosier through and through by blowing the goal line stand as time expired.  Also a nod to cthomas for picking up 3rd in your first year.
A huge hug and warm fuzzies to LIHoosier for running the show this year.  Thank you so much for giving this meaningless season some purpose.  Taking on the responsibility for running a league like this is so often a thankless job.  You deserve all of our gratitude.  THANK YOU!
Finally, this was my first year trying to pick football games, not normally my cup of tea, and I'm proud of my 4th place finish.  Time to go back for some serious reflection on what went wrong and to start preparation for next year.
Go Hoosiers, and BTW, let's all root for IU MBB to beat Harvard this afternoon.
 

I was wondering who suggested it too.

Just smile and act like you have been there before.  That drives everyone crazy.

Just wanted to prove I could write something short.

Never been less sure about an IU team since I can remember. I've not always been "right" in the preseason, but I was at least sure of how I felt. This year I just have no clue what to expect. I'm ready to ride the roller coaster with you'ns.

As the defending champion, I'm ready for all challengers.  Looking forward to a repeat.
We win this one.  No tossing coins here.  By how much?  That is a tough question since we didn't face much of a challenge in our exhibition games.  If we are able to get out and run, we win big.  If we play defense, FGC isn't going to score much, though they figure to be a volume 3-point shooting team.  Heck, I always do poorly in the first week.  Probable won't be any different this year.  Fear my IU score is a tad low and the FGC score is a tad high.  Whatever!  Let's win this one for Billy Garrett!
Hoosiers     77
Sacrificial Lambs  65

I absolutely swear that I DID NOT look at anyone's predictions before I posted mine.  We must be using the same tea leaves.  Good luck to both of us again.

What's not to like.  Look at the vid.  Didn't miss a single shot!  
 

What's not to like.  Look at the vid.  Didn't miss a single shot!  
 

What's not to like.  Look at the vid.  Didn't miss a single shot!  
 

You know what they say about great minds.